Chiquitita
by hereiamdestroya
Summary: Logan doesn't know what to do with his daughter Francesca since her mother left but when his best friends The Diamonds come back to Cali to reboot the Diamond School of Dance, maybe that will help her. Can the two families come together to give the 'little one' what she needs. And when Logan meets a kid's mum at DSD, will the Mitchell's find another family member soon?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys. Hope you like this story! Please give me your feedback. Love to hear from you! Cheers ~ hereiamdestroya**

Logan didn't know what to do anymore. Ever since his wife had walked out on him and his seven year old daughter, the little girl had not been the same. It had been five months since the couple had separated but only two months ago had the divorce officially come through and the woman had walked out, giving Logan full custody of their daughter; Francesca. Logan had been making things work. They now lived in the beach house he had inherited from his grandfather, a beautiful seven bedroom house in Malibu. It really was so ostentatious that it almost made Logan sick, despite its grandness, but it was where he had been living since the separation. He'd never been close to his grandfather or his mother's side of the family because money was all that mattered to them, so it was a surprise to find out that the beach house had been left to Logan, the grandson that had moved out when he was eighteen.

Now at twenty nine, he wasn't sure how his life was supposed to have turned out. Maybe he shouldn't have married Ellen, the girl he'd fallen in love with when he was twenty and had a baby with, but he sure as hell wouldn't trade anything for his daughter. But now, he couldn't even make Francesca happy. The little girl with her mother's light brown hair to her waist was unhappy as she sat in one of the living room's big armchairs, reading a book. The house had come with all the furniture from a time gone long by but Logan didn't really care. He was hardly there anymore. Ever since the divorce he had taken on more shifts at work at the clinic where he worked as a doctor. But it wasn't working out so great now that he had Francesca full time and he had to find a way for it all to work soon.

"Frankie, would you like some ice-cream?" Logan asked, looking up from the table where he was reading another text book. The seven year old looked up but said nothing, just shook her head. "What about if we go to the store and get some popcorn and rent a movie, sweetheart?" Logan tried again.

"No, thank you." Francesca said simply. Politeness was something Logan and Ellen had taught her as soon as they could. She was never a rude child, always courteous and it was another reason why Logan was proud of her. But that also meant she was often quiet and only spoke when she felt it necessary. She really did seem older than her years.

Logan went back to his textbook, reading about the nature of limitation in medicine, something he was most interested in. It was a lovely day outside, and you could walk out of the garden and down onto a path to the glorious beach. He really should try and get Francesca to go and play. The girl was very content in her own company, just like Logan had been as a child, but he was worried about her. He needed to find something to take the mind off the fact that her mother and father had stopped loving each other, had stopped talking to each other. He had to give her a safe place.

* * *

At half nine Logan put Francesca to bed and paced down stairs and along the big hallway to the open kitchen to start a bottle of wine. He didn't have work tomorrow and just needed a drink. When the door knocked a little later, it actually startled him out of his now warm stupor. He went along to the foyer and checked on the screen by the door who it was. To his absolute surprise, he saw two men standing on the door step – one man blonde and the other a bit taller, brunette.

He opened the door quickly and was bundled into a group hug by his two best friends. Smiles all around, Logan ushered them in and closed the door.

"You guys have come home?! Why did you not call me?" Logan asked, still grinning. Before him stood Kendall and James, his two oldest and dearest friends who had been married to each other for a decade now. They were both only twenty nine but had two children between them, having used a surrogate mother. They stood now, in front of Logan, holding each other's hands.

"We've only just got back in the country! We wanted it to be a surprise!" James grinned. The Diamonds had spent a year out in Paris, France trying to build up an international sector of their business – Diamond School of Dance. It had been James' dream to start up a dance school for children ever since he had become a professional dancer himself in his early teens and Kendall was now his business partner. They worked exceptionally well, and their children were their unique selling point. Astrid, the eldest child at nine years old was a phenomenal dancer for her age and she adored ballet. The Diamonds couldn't have been more proud of her. They had also encouraged their son to dance, seven year old Silas, who wasn't as enthused as his sister, but none the less, was a fantastic dancer. They weren't supposed to be coming home for another month.

"I'm so happy to see you! Where are the kids?" Logan asked.

"At my mum's, spending some quality time with Grandma. We wanted to come see how you and Frankie are doing." Kendall said, sympathy for his friend showing. They had come back to visit Logan twice during the entire divorce process but it was difficult and Logan was thankful but he knew it was difficult for them being away. It wasn't easy to keep coming back. But now they were here.

"We're…we're doing ok. Thanks. Come in guys, have a seat" Logan ushered them in once again.

"Wow, what a place! The real thing doesn't compare to the pictures you emailed us!" James admired the house as him and Kendall sat down on one of the large sofas.

"The décor's a bit…grim though. No offence Loges, I know it's stereotypical but we gays know what looks good and those curtains are something _else_." All three of them laughed but Logan agreed with them. The place was dated. He was so happy they were home.

"Are you back for a while? Or have you got another flight to catch soon?" Logan asked, leaning forward, his hands clasped together.

"Logan." James smiled kindly. "We're back home for good."

"What? You're serious? You're not going back to France?" Logan prayed they were staying. He really needed them, more than he cared to admit.

"We did what we wanted to do out there, but now it's time to take back the school here in California. We want to make it the best dance school in the country…We're back home for good." Kendall smiled.

"There's just one tiny thing we wanted to ask you…and by the looks of it, you won't mind…" James started a little anxiety on his face. Logan hardly ever saw his confident friend be nervous. "Well, see the thing is, you know how we were having our house in the city refurbished while we were gone – where we've come back a month early, they're not quite ready for us. And, and as you have the space, we were wondering whether you'd mind if we stayed here, with you and Francesca?"

Logan thought for a minute. The house was plenty big enough for all of the Diamonds and he and his daughter and he honestly couldn't imagine anything better than spending time with his best friends. "Just a month?"

"Just one month…" Kendall agreed. "We promise. You'd be doing us the biggest favour."

"I'm surprised you even thought you'd need to ask. You're my best friends. My house is your house. Just please do not let me find your underwear all over the place. I haven't forgotten when we used to stay at each other's houses." He told the lovebirds, who he vividly remembered as being the most untidy teenagers.

Maybe this would be the best thing – he knew he needed his best friends but maybe it would be good for Francesca to spend time with the Diamond kids too. There had to be something to make her happier. Of course, nothing was going to make her stop missing her mother but maybe filling her life with love from her extended family would comfort her. Only time would tell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews – hope you enjoy this chapter and if you do, please let me know! Thank you lovelies ~ hereiamdestroya**

Early the next morning, the Diamonds arrived with a van load of boxes, pulling up in the driveway of Logan's huge inherited house. They were so happy to be home. Of course, France had been amazing and Kendall and James had loved building up the business but in all honesty, they missed California. They missed their family and friends and they didn't want to disrupt their kids' lives too much. James knew what it was like to have parents who only ever did the best for themselves and he never wanted to be like that to his own children.

Astrid, the eldest of the two stared out of the window as James cut the engine. "Why can't we go home daddy? To our house?"

"We're going to stay with Uncle Logan and little Frankie just until our house is ready." Kendall said with a smile as he clambered out of the car. "We'll have fun, baby, you'll get to hang out with Frankie and play on the beach."

Astrid was as stubborn as Kendall was – it was definitely a trait she had gotten from him – so he knew when she didn't reply that this was not her idea of fun, but they would try to make it work. "Hey, come on then, let's go…Silas, we can play soccer later once we've unpacked. There's a big garden here." Kendall smiled enthusiastically at the young boy who was next to her, his dark blonde hair falling into his eyes. He needed a haircut. He just smiled and replied "OK."

Once the kids were out of the car they raced each other to the front door to see who could ring the doorbell first, leaving their dads to lock the car.

"The kids will be OK, won't they?" Kendall needed reassurance. It would only be a month and it felt like the best thing but him and James always worked together, in every situation.

James took his hand in his and gave him a peck on the lips. "The kids are all right."

_**LINE**_

"Frankie, why don't you take Astrid and Silas into the garden and play?" Logan encouraged with a smile. He couldn't believe how much James and Kendall's kids had grown up in just a year and once they'd all hugged and said hello, he wanted to make them feel at home.

By the time they'd finished unpacking, Logan, Kendall and James had no energy left so the kids were pretty energised to go and play and followed each other out of the sliding doors and onto the grass. The view of the beach was behind them and Logan felt instantly relaxed now. He'd be lonely for a little while, even with Frankie. The girl was so distant.

"Thanks so much for this Logan, seriously." James said across the dinner table as he held one hand in his lover's and a glass of wine in the other. "We owe you one, man."

"No you don't. You're my best friends. I'd do anything for you, you know that." Logan grinned. God, he was so happy they were back.

"So, has Ellen not been in touch at all?" Kendall asked warily.

"No. Clearly that's fine for me, but it's not fair on Frankie, at all." Logan told him honestly. "Guys, does Astrid talk to you a lot? Because Frankie literally hardly talks to me right now…"

"She's probably just a bit confused, Loges" James told him sympathetically. "When my parents got divorced, it was really hard and I didn't feel like talking to anyone. But she'll open up a bit more soon, I'm sure."

"Hey, why don't you bring Frankie along to our dance classes? I know she didn't want to when she was younger but she might like to now?" Kendall asked. Maybe that was what the girl needed – to be around other kids apart from in school. Maybe it would relax her a little.

"I mean, if you think it'd help her?" Logan spoke as he watched his little girl sit on the grass while the Diamond kids played around her. She really was in her shell and Logan would do anything to bring her out of it.

_**LINE**_

"Daddy, I don't want to dance." Francesca spoke quietly as Logan drove. It was 5pm on Monday and he had changed shifts around so he could take her to classes at Diamond School of Dance. James and Kendall had gone back to work immediately, opening up bright and early that morning.

The small brunette looked up at him when he cut the engine in the parking lot. "Frankie, you might like it once you go. You'll see Astrid and Silas and it'll be Uncle James teaching you." He smiled but she wasn't buying it. Dressed in a pink skirt and white shirt that she'd worn to school, she crossed her legs in the passenger seat and folded her arms.

Logan turned his body towards her. "Francesca, please try it for Daddy, for me. And if you really don't like it, you don't have to go again – I won't force you. But why don't you give it a try, eh?"

Her big hazel brown eyes, just like her mother's, looked up at her father and she nodded ever so slightly. He got out the car, grabbed her bag from the boot and walked with her into the reception of the building. It had been an old office block in the 80s before the Diamonds had bought it and turned it into 4 stories of the dance school, with offices all over and different studio spaces plus a main performance hall on the second floor. It really was spectacular.

"Hey" James smiled widely as Logan and Francesca walked in and signed in at the front desk. He embraced Logan easily and then picked Frankie up in a swooping motion and kissed her cheek. "Hey twinkle toes. You ready to do some dancing?"

Logan loved his enthusiasm and Frankie did a good job at hiding her anxiety and smiled at the tall brunette as he finally put her down. "Ok Frankie, shall I show you where you can get changed?"

"Shall I come with you Frankie?" Logan called out.

"I'm ok." She responded.

"Loges, there's a couple of rows of chairs in the studio if you want to stay and watch. Have you got work tonight?" James asked.

"Ok sure, I can stay. No, not until tomorrow morning." Logan replied.

_**LINE**_

Logan stayed in the front reception area for a little while and watched as the other parents – mostly mothers- went either to help their kids change or went into the studio space and sat down eagerly. Just as he was about to go in, he saw her.

Perhaps the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He had always thought that title belonged to his ex-wife, to the mother of his child, but perhaps this woman was deserving of it. She was petite, with long dark chocolate curls and nice brown eyes. And as she held the hands of the two children by each of her sides, she smiled so happily it made Logan smile just to look at her. The two children, the two girls, were clearly twins, despite wearing completely different outfits, they looked exactly the same, and with the only difference being one of them was taller than the other.

"Hey" The woman smiled and Logan was so mesmerized it took him a second to realise this gorgeous woman was talking to him. "Sorry, do you know where the changing rooms are here?"

"Sure, they're just down the hall and on the left." He told her with a pleasant smile.

"Thanks very much. LA traffic is the bane of my life." She grinned as she hurried along to the changing rooms.

Logan felt like the woman's happiness was contagious and as he entered the studio and found a seat at the back, he still wore a blissful smiled at the interaction. James had already started talking to the children who all sat before him on the floor. There was a group of about 16 children until the twins entered quickly from the side door and sat down with the rest of them. Francesca sat a little to the side, not too close to the other kids but she didn't look completely fed up. Next to James stood Astrid, in her ballet outfit, standing tall and proud, just like her father.

Logan realised the seat next to him had been taken and he turned to see the woman from before who now smiled easily at him, like it was her birth right to do so. She was wearing a patchwork gypsy skirt and a Sex Pistols grey t-shirt and Logan couldn't help but admire her. Despite being petite, she had amazingly muscled arms and legs, like an athlete almost.

"Hey" She smiled politely again. "Thanks for the help back there…My name's Camille." She offered her hand and Logan shook it strongly.

"I'm Logan...Nice to meet you." He grinned back.

"Pleasure…so which one's yours?" She asked, looking back at the mass of children who James was now beginning a warm up routine with.

"That's my girl – Francesca" Logan smiled as he pointed to his daughter who was now, to his surprise, actually smiling as she danced a little. The music was loud enough that Logan and Camille weren't audible at the back of the space.

"Oh, she's so gorgeous." Camille grinned.

"Thanks. And the twins – they're yours?" Logan asked.

"Yeah." The woman's smile beamed as she pointed them both out. "That's Maya and that's Juno." Juno was the taller of the two. They both grinned widely as they moved.

"How old are they?" Logan asked out of interest.

"They just turned seven."

"Frankie's seven too." Logan smiled.

_**LINE**_

Once the hour was hour, Camille excitedly called her daughters over to her and kissed them both on the cheeks saying "Well done! You guys did so well! Go get changed and we can get some ice cream on the way home."

Francesca didn't come over to Logan, just went pass the other kids and into the changing room. Logan felt his heart falter a little. He hoped she at least enjoyed herself a bit.

"It was nice to meet you Logan. Maybe see you next week?" Camille grinned as she stood up and put her bag on her shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you too. Yeah, I hope so."

The woman left with a bounce in her step and Logan paced over to James who was drinking a bottle of water and telling Astrid how well she did today presenting herself.

"Hey man." James smiled "I think Frankie had a good time today, but I think you had a better time." The man winked.

"Hey!"

James covered Astrid's ears as he said with a throaty laugh "Just don't hit on all my customers ok."

"You're awful." Logan half laughed. He asked if they wanted a ride back home but James declined, telling him he needed to go pick up some things that they'd left in storage for the last year. Logan thanked him again for today.

_**LINE**_

In the car on the way back home, Logan kept stealing glances at his daughter who had little pink cheeks and sat quietly in the passenger seat. "How was that, Frankie? Did you have fun?"

"I liked it, Dad." She told him. "I had fun."

"Yeah? You did? That's great hun!" He smiled; genuinely delighted that he'd made her happy for a little while. "You used to love dancing when you were really little. So you want to go back next week?"

"Ok…will mummy take me?"

In that moment, Logan's heart shattered a bit. It terrified him that he might never be enough.


End file.
